Velocipede



(No Model.)

` D- CROWLEY.

VELOGIPEDE,

No. 296,680. Pmmed Apr. 8, 1884.

' llNrTnD STATES PATENT @erica DANIEL CROWLEY, OF BOSTO, MASSACHUSETTS.

' VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersfPatent No. 296,680, dated April 8, 18534n p Application filed October 3.1833. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL CROWLEY, a citizen or" the United States, residing at Bos ton, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes, .of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to certain improve ments in velocipedes, particularly applicable to such as described in my syndication for a patent led the 9th day of March, 1883, No. 87,637 5 and the invention consists in constructing the back with an adjustable headrest; also, in a ybar fitted so as toextend from axle to axle to keep the same more rigid, and to provide for greater security to the rider; also, in the application of a wheel for obtaining a bearing on the ground for starting the vehicle on heavy roads; also, in a detachable frame that can be connected to the back and provided with a covering to protect the occupant from rain, Sie.; also, in a flasher or boot fixed to the foot-board.

The invention further consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the brakes, the ratchet-levers, and cover for the ratchet-wheels; also, lin Scrapers for the wheels; and in means for operating an alarm-bell, means for lubricating the axles, means for regulating the `inclination of the seat; and, lastly, in a device for supporting the chair when removed from the wheels.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a front elevation, partly in section, ofavelocipedeembodyingniyinvention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal vertical section ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view. Figs. 4 to 9 are details. Fig. l() is a perspective view of the stand.

A A are the drivingwheels, between which hangs a swinging seat, supported from the axles a a by a double-crank shaft, b b', the central portion, b, of which is spread apart about nine inches( more or less, according to the size of the sea-hf) and provided with boltholes c, for securing the seat and back thereto,

B is the back, made of one continuous piece of steel and bent at d, so that the lower ends form a portion of the seat, and which ends are provided with bolt-holes corresponding to those in the double-crank shaft, so that the two can be bolted together, the arms e c exof malleable iron and in one piece, it being curved at d, as before described. By the use of malleable iron I obtain great strength and also economy in manufacture,

By experience, I iind that the best relative position of the seat and back of the chair to the axles is for the seat to be, on an average, about fourteen inches below the line of the center ofthe axles, and the back to be, on an average, ten inches in the rear of the same line. When thus placed, the chair or seat is in the best position between the two wheels for comfort, safety, propulsion, and the proper guidance and management of the vehicle.

When required to keep the axles more rigid, or to provide greater security for the rider, I employ a removable bar, C, (sec Fig. 9,).Which extends horizontally across the machine from one axle to the other, thus forming, as it were, a continuous axle. One end of the'bar C is held in a socket, f, and the other end is provided with a spring-catch, g.

To the rear of the scat I attach a bar or rod, cl, the outer end of which is iitted with a small wheel, A. This wheel is not a drag-Wheel, as now used in velocipedes, but the object of it is to provide a means for obtaining'a bearing on the ground when starting the vehicle should the road be heavy, the occupant press ing onthe handles J or J', and bearing against the back B, forces it back until the Wheel A comes in Contact with the ground, when all his force is exerted against the handles .l or J'. I also place a small wheel, A, under the front part of the footrest E, so that should the foot-rest at any time be pressed too low down the wheel will come in contact with the ground and ride over it, thereby preventing accidents.

To be able to increase the pressure on the brakes, I place the wheel A under the front part ofthefoot-rest E, the occupant pressing the handles .I downward, the pins m ofthe levers Hk engage with the brakes Il, causing the chair to IOO swing forward and bring the wheel A in contact with the ground, and so obtain the required pressure upon the brakes for stopping. It will be seen that the lower part of the periphery of the large wheels A are below the lower part of the periphery of the small wheels A A, so that the seat is free to swing backward and forward, its motion being limited by the small wheels. The small wheels ma be entirely dispensed with.

To the back B is fitted a head-rest, I), supported by two rods, 7L h, which are free to slide up and down in tubes t' t', secured to the back ofthe chair, so that the head-rest can be pushed up or down, as required, according to the height of the head of the occupant. The tubes i t' are set at an angle, their lower ends being nearer together than the upper ends, by which means the rods 71J are caused to act as springs and always press against the tubes i with sufficient force to support the head-rest.

To the back I connect rods j, which extend upward and forward in a semicircle, and to v their ends is connected a rod, j', which extends across the front part of the vehicle, so as to form a frame, to which a covering of any suitable material may be fastened. This frame may be attached to the back in any suitable manner, so that it can be readily fixed to or removed therefrom.

E is a foot-rest, pivoted at its inner end to a bar, e. Secured to the seat and hinged to the bar e is another bar, e, provided with a series of holes, through one of which a bolt is passed into the foot-rest E, so that -its inclination can be adjusted, and thereby bring the wheel A farther from or nearer to the ground, as desired.

To the front part of the foot-rest E can be attached a dasher or boot, F, when the vehicle is required for ladies use or in inclement weather, and when not required can be readily removed.

On each hub of the wheels A, I mount a ratchet -wheel, G, (see Fig. 4,) in which is shown an enlarged section through the hub of the wheel, the teeth of which I make in the form shown in Fig. -that is flat, or nearly so, on their outer edge, instead of being pointed. By this form of tooth I nd the wheels are more compact, require less rise and fall of the pawl from one tooth to another, and

thereby lessen the noise and the cost of cutting the teeth. The ratchet-wheels G are formed with a projecting sleeve, G', on one side, which sleeve comes iiush with the inner end of the hub'. On this sleeve I mount the drivinglevers II, which work loosely thereon, and are held in position by a friction-pulley, I, secured to the sleeve G. The driving-levers H,I form with a long slot, through which a screw on the end of handle J passes, and is secured in any desired position by means of a nut, k. By this means the handle can be adapted to any length of arm. I sometimes place a stationary handle, J', on the end of each lever for the purpose of obtaining more purchase in starting the vehicle, or when greater power is required. To the back of the lever II is pivoted a pawl, K, which takes into the teeth of the ratchet-wheel G.

L L are brakes secured at one end to the axle-shaft b, then passing around, but not touching, the friction-pulley I, andthe free end terminating in a hook, Z, so that a pin, m, on the driving-lever H, will engage therewith when the said lever is pressed down, and forces the brake upon the friction-pulley, thus helping to stop or guide the vehicle, as required.

The ratchet-wheel G, I prefer to inclose in a cover, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This cover M entirely incases the ratchet-wheel, except aV space, a, required for the lever G and the pawl K to work in. The opening for the lever H extends farther back than the space in which the pawl works, the object of this being that when the lever II is drawn back sufi fciently Tar the pawl will come in contact with the projecting portion m and be raised out of contact with the Ateeth of the ratchet,

and ride upon the top of the cover until the lever comes in contact with the closed portion of the cover. It will be seen that by means of this cover I am able to disengage one lever, so that the wheel is free, and by operating the other lever the vehicle can be turned round in a very small space; or, if required to push the vehicle backward, both levers can be pushed back, so as to throw both pawls out of gear, and the cover alsoserves to regulate the stroke.

N N are scrapers secured to the rear part of the seat by rods o, that extend out toward the fellies of the wheel and hold the scrapers a suitablev distance from the wheels, so as to throw oft' anymud that may adhere thereto. Shields may be placed over the small wheels A A.

P is an alarm attached to the crank-shaft b below one of the axles, and is struck one or more times at each revolution ofthe wheel by a pin or projection, p, on the frictionpulley I coming in contact with a lever, Q, connected to the hammer. The lever QJ prefer to make with a joint, so that when yit is not desired to use the bell the lever can be soplaced as to be out of contact with the pin p as the wheel revolves.

In the box or space around the nut holding the Wheels on the axles I place cotton waste, or other suitable material, which is kept in place by means of a cap or cover, R, a front view of which is shown in Fig. 8. This cap is of the required size to iit the hole, and is made ina corrugated form with a hole in its center, through which oil or other lubricating material can be poured, so as to saturate the cotton waste. By this means the axle will always be well lubricated, and the annoyanceof having to oil the axles avoided, and at the same time the cover prevents any dust or dirt coming in contact with the axles.

W'hen desired to regulate the inclination of ioo IIO

the seat, I place under it two cleats or guides, in which a small weight, s, is supported, so' as to be pushed backward or forward, according asit is desired to alter the inclination of the seat.

Fig. 10 shows a stand for supporting the chair by the axles when the wheels are taken off. The stand consists of two side frames, T T, provided at their upper ends with bearings, and connected togetherV at their lower ends by means of bars t t. To house the vehicle when used by an invalid, the wheels are removed and the chair .is carried with him, and the axles placed in the bearings of the side frames, T. A set-screw or pin can be used, if desired, to hold the chair in a stationary position on the frame.

The operation is as follows: The inclination of the seat, the height of the head-rest D, and the position of the handles .l are first adjusted to suit the person intending` to ride. He then takes his seat in the vehicle, presses down the levers H, which through the pawls K and ratchet-wheels G, forces the wheels A round. He then draws the levers l-I back, when the pawls will ride over the teeth of the ratchetwheels G until they come in contact with the projecting` portion in of the covers M, when he again pushes the levers forward, and so on alternately pressing the levers H forward and then drawing` them back. -Should he desire -to apply the brakes, he presses the levers forward until the pin fm comes in contact with the bool; E, and, by continuing to press forward, the brakes L are forced down onto the friction-pulleys I, when the speed of the vehicle will be retarded.` Should he desire to turn sharply round. a corner, he applies one brake with one hand and propels with the other.

W'hat l. claim as my invention isl. In a veloeipede, the removable bar C, in combination with the double-crank-axle shaft a: t, as shown and described.

2. The adjustable head-rest D, rods 7i 71 and tubes t' t', in combination with the back of a hanging chair, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a velooipede substantially such as de scribed, the wheels Af A, having the lower portion of their peripheries above the level of the lower portion of the peripheries of the main wheels AA, and attached the one tothe rear of the seat by a bar, d', and the other to the front of the foot-rest E, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination of the adjustable footrest E, the dasher F, and the hanging seat, as shown and described.

5. The combination, with the driving-.levers H, of the adjustable handle J and a Xed handle, J', substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The brakes L, in combination with the friction-pulley I, driving-levers H, and the pins mi, as and for the purpose specified.

7. The ratchet wheel cover M, provided with an opening, a, and projecting portion m', in combination with the ratchet-wheel G, levers H, and pawls K, substantially as shown and described.

8. The scrapers N, attached to the seat by rods o, in combination with the wheels A, as

shown and described.

9. In combination with the seat, an adjustable weight, S, supported on cleats underneath the seat, for the purpose of adjusting the seat to persons of different weights, as set forth.

10. A stand, T T, provided with bearings on the upper ends for the reception of axles aa, attached to the swinging seat, so as to support the latter, as and for thepurpose set forth.

ll. The back B, curved at d, and provided with arms e, in combination with the cranka-Xle a b t', substantially as shown and described. n A

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL CRUWLEY. Titnessesz J. H. Anhalts, E. PLANTA. 

